


Compromise

by holyfant



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Established Relationship, Explicit Sexual Content, F/F, Post-Hogwarts, discussion of being consciously childfree, references to pregnancy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-28
Updated: 2016-06-28
Packaged: 2018-07-18 19:33:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,485
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7327483
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/holyfant/pseuds/holyfant
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>If that is the trade-off, if that is the small prize to pay to be with Alicia - then there's really no discussion, is there?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Compromise

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Femslash June :-)

“Oh Merlin, Bell, don't,” Angelina said, shrugging away from Katie's concerned hands, “it's just these damn hormones –” She sat dabbing at her eyes with a hanky. “Shit, there goes my eyeshadow.” She drew in a shuddering breath and smiled waveringly even as more tears spilled from her eyes.

 

“Angie,” Alicia said, her mouth pursed downwards. She had the spooked, uncomfortable look of someone wishing they could unsee what they'd just seen.

 

“I don't want to hear it, Spinnet,” Angelina said warningly. She gave Alicia a look that was formidably reminiscent of their Hogwarts Quidditch team days, even with her tear-clumped lashes and the smudged shimmer of her makeup. “I'm all right, I'm just really very bloody _pregnant_. In case you couldn't tell.”

 

Katie carefully touched Angelina's shoulder. “And that's – that's all it is?”

 

“That, and that I'm going to _kill_ George Weasley.” She sniffed, and seemed to compose herself.

 

Katie smiled privately. “That's certainly nothing new.”

 

“What's he done this time?” Alicia asked, clearly jumping at the opportunity to return to more familiar ground.

 

“Oh, nothing, as usual,” Angelina sighed, “just...” She studied her hanky for a moment, then looked up at her friends. “I just feel like a beached whale, and you know him, he keeps cracking jokes about it.”

 

Katie and Alicia exchanged a look. “That definitely sounds like the clown you married, yes,” Alicia said.

 

“And Merlin knows I used to think they were funny!” Angelina wailed, crumpling up her hanky. “But these last couple of weeks, I've just been feeling _so shite_ –”

 

“Look, Ang,” Katie said, “I know for a fact that he rubbed your ankles for two hours on Sunday, and when I saw him this morning in the shop all he could talk about was how excited he is for the birth.”

 

“You say excited, but you mean terrified,” Angelina said. Then she caught Katie's look and said, “Oh, I know, that's not fair.” She grimaced. “I can't even be properly pissed at him, 'cause he's actually scared shitless and he's _still_ running around to get everything done. Can't he just be useless for a change so that I can actually have a proper go at him?” She shifted in her seat, holding her belly. “Don't give me that look, Bell. Am I not allowed to bitch about my infuriatingly supportive husband at the far end of my pregnancy?”

 

“'Course you are,” Katie said, smiling. “That's why we're here.”

 

Alicia smiled tightly. “I'll get us some more drinks, shall I? Another juice, Angie?”

 

“Don't have many options, do I?” She groaned. “And to think I still won't be able to have a glass of wine after this little fucker pops out.”

 

Alicia stood up from the table and withdrew. Katie caught her expression, and felt her amusement at Angelina's exasperation dampen.

 

With Alicia gone, there was a pause; not altogether a comfortable one. “Well,” Katie said, trying to pick the conversation back up, “you're allowed to have a little something after a few weeks, aren't you? If you do it right before feeding?”

 

Angelina shrugged. “Maybe. I can't… Bell, my head's not on straight, I can hardly think beyond the idea that there will be a human being coming out of me in probably a week's time. I honestly can't think about 'after a few weeks'.”

 

“Fair enough.” Katie smiled.

 

Angelina answered the smile, but then she raised her eyebrows. “Spinnet's still having a bit of trouble with it, isn't she?”

 

“Oh no, Angie, she's fine,” Katie said. She felt her smile becoming forced. “You know her, she's – a bit iffy about baby talk. She'll get used to it.”

 

Angelina nodded, though she looked unconvinced. “I can't blame her, I never thought I'd be one of those women who can't talk about anything but their uterus movements and how many times they've needed the loo that day, but –” She caressed her belly, looking apologetic. “It's just sort of the only thing that's in my head right now.”

 

“I don't mind,” Katie said.

 

“I know _you_ don't.” She gave Katie a flat look. “Bell, I'm having this baby, not much I can do about it now. And, Merlin, that sounds like I _would_ do something about it – I wouldn't! I'm actually really happy! Even it doesn't seem that way right now. I'm just blowing off some steam. Just...” She hesitated, tugging on one of her braids, suddenly far more serious than she'd been all evening. Katie looked at her, slightly scared of what she was going to say. “I'd really hate to lose you two as mates.”

 

Katie tried her best to smile. “That's ridiculous, Ang,” she said with a confidence she didn't feel. “Of course that's not going to happen.”

 

Alicia came back in, levitating the drinks. “Ogden's and soda,” she announced brightly, seeming in a better mood at the prospect of whiskey. “And a pumpkin juice for our beached whale.”

 

“Fuck you, Spinnet,” Angelina said passionately. “Fuck. You.”

 

Alicia smiled, and handed Angelina the drink. “I added a twist of lemon just for you, 'cause I know you like it.”

 

“Oh, good,” Angelina said. “Fuel my sourness a bit more.” She looked relieved when she glanced at Katie, and – Katie thought, gulping: she looked radiant, happy, beautifully pregnant.

 

-

 

“Merlin,” Alicia groaned, as they were getting ready for bed. “You know I love Angie to bits, but that was close to torture.”

 

Katie, tipsy from one Ogden's-and-soda too many, lowered herself onto the end of the bed, plucking ineffectively at her socks, trying to get them off. “You looked horrified all through her spiel about her birth plan.”

 

Alicia shuddered visibly. “There are some details I just don't want to know about.”

 

“You don't want to hear about it.” Katie felt a little bit like crying, suddenly, without warning. “You don't want to hear about it, ever. I get it, Al.”

 

Alicia picked up on her tone and turned towards her, halfway through unbuttoning her shirt. “Kat?” She looked wary.

 

“No, it's all right,” Katie said, aware that she sounded very emphatically like it wasn't. “I know it makes you uncomfortable, I've known that since forever.”

 

Alicia stood studying her for a long moment. “Yeah, you have known that since forever,” she said. “I've never exactly hidden it.”

 

“I _know_ ,” Katie said, tired. She felt a little too drunk for comfort.

 

“Then why are you making a big deal out of it now?” Alicia recommenced undoing her buttons, looking down at them. “It's not like I told Angie I didn't want to hear it, now did I?”

 

“Oh, like she doesn't know,” Katie said. “She's known you for longer than today. And – maybe you think you were hiding it, but it was pretty obvious.”

 

Alicia turned around to put away her shirt. Katie looked at the muscles of her back shifting as she rummaged through her sleeping shirts drawer. “Well, I tried not to show it too much,” Alicia said, her tone flat.

 

“Angie's scared we're not going to be her friends anymore after the baby's born.” Katie hadn't quite planned to say that – but it was out, now.

 

Alicia slipped her Holyhead Harpies shirt over her head and turned around. She had an odd expression on her face. “Yeah, look,” she said, “ _o_ _f course_ I'm not going to ditch Angie, but – you know I probably won't want to go over and babysit, either.”

 

Katie looked at her. Tears prickled in her eyes; she didn't quite know why. “Okay,” she said. “Good to know.”

 

Alicia stepped out of her jeans, dropped them over the chair, then came over and sat down on the bed next to Katie. “What's this really about, Kat?”

 

“I don't know,” Katie said, quite honestly. “I just – feel really sad for Angie. She really seemed scared that we wouldn't be there for her after the birth.”

 

Alicia frowned. “Look, she's got a great husband, a loving mum and brother, and a huge family-in-law who are all getting themselves into a tizzy over this baby. And she's got you, and lots of other friends who love being around kids. She's going to have plenty of support in motherhood.” She looked at Katie. “I am _honestly_ happy for her, Kat. I'm just not the sort of person who wants to be involved too much in it. I'll be happy when the baby's born and it's all gone well, and – if she needs to get away from it for a bit and needs someone to fix her a pumpkin juice and lemon and talk about something other than rashes and vomit, I'll be there for her. I'll be her friend, I just – won't be helping her change nappies. Is that so terrible?” She shook her head, frowning. “I have to say, I'm sort of feeling really bad about it now. It's just how I feel, and people have been telling me all my life it would change, and it just hasn't, and you know I've had enough shit about it from mum and dad to not need any from you.”

 

“I'm not trying to give you shit,” Katie said, “I promise.” She reached out and held Alicia's face in her hands. “I love you, Al. I knew from the start that children were not on the table for you, and I was never lying when I said that was fine for me.”

 

Alicia was still for a long moment. “I… wasn't aware we were actually talking about _us_.”

 

Katie blinked. “Well,” she said, “we weren't, I suppose, but… I dunno.”

 

“Are you sad that I don't want children, Kat?” Alicia asked, her face quite blank.

 

“No, I mean, I don't know,” Katie said, suddenly tearfully, aware that she sounded stupid. She wanted Alicia closer, so she wrapped an arm around her and pulled her into a hug. “I'm sorry, I don't know why I'm so emotional about it all of a sudden. I've never minded, Al, I really haven't.”

 

Alicia was quiet for a long moment, hugging Katie back. “Are you sure?”

 

“Yes,” Katie said. “I'm sure. It's just – seeing Angie, and her being so scared that she'd lose us – I suppose it triggered something else. I don't know.” She wiped a stray tear away. “I really don't know why I'm so emotional all of a sudden. I'm a bit all over the place.”

 

Alicia pulled back and held Katie by the shoulders, peering into her face. What she saw there seemed to reassure her; she smiled faintly. “Maybe I shouldn't have got you so drunk.”

 

Katie tried to smile too. “Being a little drunk is fine.” She looked at Alicia. “Will you please kiss me, Al?” Alicia did, without hesitation, and Katie drew her closer, trying to surround herself with the familiar warm comfort of her body. Alicia's mouth tasted of the whiskey, dark and sharp.

 

They broke apart. Katie rested her forehead against Alicia's temple.

 

“It's really not that _I_ want children,” she said. “I mean, you know… I _might_ have wanted them, but –”

 

Alicia exhaled, tightening the embrace. “I know,” she said. “All I can do, Kat, is believe you when you say that it's fine for you not to have them. And that's a bit terrifying, you understand? I've got to trust you to tell me the truth and not secretly hope for it to change. 'Cause – I don't think it will.”

 

“I promise that's not what I'm hoping for,” Katie said, then stopped to think if she was telling the truth. _Yes_ , she decided after a moment. It wasn't quite that simple, but still – yes. If the trade-off for being with Alicia was having to let go of a vague 'perhaps-I'll-want-children-one-day' feeling – well, there was no real discussion there, was there? She'd made that choice years ago, and usually it wasn't even the faintest blip on her emotional radar.

 

“All right.” Alicia kissed her briefly. “ _I_ promise I'll make an effort not to look too obviously horrified when Angie talks about dilation and – meconium, and stuff.” She made a face.

 

Katie smiled a little shakily. “To be honest, she could probably stand to talk a little bit less about meconium. I think it's 'cause she's secretly upset by it herself.”

 

They sat together for a long moment. “Are we okay?” Alicia asked.

 

“Yes.” Katie wiped her eyes. “We're okay.”

 

Alicia squeezed her shoulder. “C'mon, then. Get your clothes off and let's get to bed.”

 

Katie got up and undressed while Alicia got under the covers. She slid naked into Alicia's arms, pressed her thigh between Alicia's legs and kissed her, hard.

 

“Oh- _o_ ,” Alicia said, smiling. “Is that how it is? I thought you were tired.”

 

“Well, _I_ thought we could indulge in a little low-pressure shagging,” Katie said. She kissed Alicia again. “I'd really love to, if you're up for it.” She had a deep, needy desire to be as close to Al as she could possibly be.

 

“Oh, you want low-pressure?” Alicia said, pulling Katie's hips closer into her own. “Lazy, lazy.”

 

They kissed, sweetly at first. Katie rubbed her thigh up against the crotch of Alicia's knickers, was rewarded by the firmer grip of Alicia's hands on her hips.

 

“Mmm,” Alicia hummed, and opened her mouth against Katie's, deepening the kiss. They rocked together, kissing, for a good while, making little sounds of growing pleasure, feeling how the motion of their hips against each other grew a little bit more frantic with each passing minute. Katie slid her hand up Alicia's side, under her shirt to squeeze her breast, playing with the nipple gently. Alicia, humming appreciatively, brought a hand down between them and ran her fingers over the lips of Katie's cunt, rubbing lightly over her clit. Katie moaned, tried to move into the contact, but their position made it hard. They kept it up for another long moment, Alicia shallowly penetrating Katie with her fingertips, moving her fingers between her clit and the wet entrance of her vagina.

 

“Fuck,” Katie swore, when the arousal in her gut grew hotter, “this isn't –” She pulled back. “I'm gonna fuck you, yeah, Al? All right?”

 

“Yes,” Alicia agreed immediately, “please,” and she allowed Katie to roll her over onto her back. “Let me get these – pants –” She wriggled, working her knickers down her thighs until they were down far enough and she could let her legs fall open. She sat up to pull her Holyhead Harpies shirt over her head, and let her torso fall back onto the mattress.

 

Katie kissed one of her breasts and sucked the nipple into her mouth. Alicia threaded her fingers through Katie's hair, making lovely, low sounds. Katie rubbed her hand up and down Alicia's side, swiping a thumb over the other nipple, trailing her fingers down the lovely curve of her waist and the soft ticklish skin just over her hip.

 

"Thought you were going to fuck me," Alicia said, and Katie smiled and let the nipple she had in her mouth pop out, giving it a final lick. She cupped Alicia's cunt with her palm, felt its heat, then drew two fingers over the slit, up to her clit. She felt how wet Alicia was and didn't waste time, simply slid two of her fingers into her, and relished the rush of arousal at how the walls of Alicia's cunt closed around her fingers, sucking them in. She pushed in deeper, until Alicia gasped, then she slid back, pressing her palm against Alicia's pubic bone, and back in – back out –

 

Alicia made a loud sound of pleasure, head falling back on the pillow. Katie draped herself against her side, her leg over Alicia's so that she could still rub against the outside of her thigh a little. She reached up and kissed Alicia sloppily, dirtily, fucking her hard with her fingers, pressing down on her pubic bone. She slid in another finger; Alicia gasped against her mouth.

 

“Good?” Katie asked, changing the angle a little.

 

Alicia nodded vigorously, her mouth open in a soundless _o_. There was a light sheen of sweat at her hairline, in the hollow of her throat. “Merlin – Kat, get those covers off, I'm about to _die_ ,” she panted, and Katie laughed and tried to get the covers down using just her feet so she didn't have to stop. The rhythm of her fingers faltered a little, but Alicia was laughing too, and when the blanket was finally off she moaned loudly, clearly more at the fresh air on her body than at Katie's fingers inside her.

 

“Better?”

 

“ _Yeah_ ,” Alicia said, and then cried out when Katie resumed fucking her with renewed energy, grinding her palm against Alicia's clit. “Fuck, yes, Katie,” she panted, “that's _so good_ –” Her pelvis muscles were tightening, loosening, tightening again; Katie knew she was getting closer, so she kept up the pace despite the beginning protest of her wrist, pushing three fingers deep inside Alicia and pressing down on her clit in the way she knew Alicia loved. She curled her fingers, trying to find the ribbed surface of Alicia's g-spot, and knew she had found it when Alicia all but sobbed, grabbing hard at Katie's shoulder, her body shaking.

 

“That's it,” Katie said, “that's it,” and she ground herself against Alicia's leg, trying to get some contact, so turned on it almost hurt. She kept on fucking her hand into Alicia, trying hard to keep the same speed and pressure; she knew that if she slowed down now it was possible that Alicia would lose her orgasm. Determined, she kept moving, kept pushing her fingers in and out of Alicia until Alicia's breath stuttered and her body went tight – “Katie,” she whined, “Katie, _Katie_ , fuck, yeah –” Katie kissed her slack mouth through the convulsions of her orgasm, loved how she could track the hitching of Alicia's breath.

 

“Ahhhh,” Alicia breathed when she'd gone relaxed again, “fuck, Kat.” Katie pulled out her fingers, spread the slickness on them over Alicia's thigh. They kissed, lazily, without much precision. “That – was good.” Alicia was still breathing hard. Katie peppered her jaw with little kisses as she recovered.

 

“C'mon, get up here,” Alicia finally said, words still slow and lazy, “sit on my face.”

 

Katie shivered and got to her knees, crawling up Alicia's body and positioning her knees at either side of her face.

 

Alicia grinned up at her. “You're gorgeous,” she said, sliding her hands up Katie's thighs.

 

Katie lowered herself, and moaned when Alicia's mouth made contact with her cunt; Alicia licked her open, running her tongue over Katie's inner and outer labia. A little shock of pleasure sparked up Katie's spine when Alicia carefully licked her clit, and closed her lips around it to suck on it gently.

 

“Ngh,” she said, pressing forward into the contact. Alicia squeezed her hips, grabbed her arse, pulled her down a little more, sliding her tongue over Katie's cunt, up to her clit.

 

Katie rocked her hips into it, fucking Alicia's face, upping the pace. She held up her weight by holding onto the headboard; already she could feel her muscles tightening as an orgasm started building in her gut, the first tendrils of its hot pleasure unspooling through her abdomen.

 

Alicia followed the lead she was setting, licking hard with the flat of her tongue, keeping it up for long moments; Katie was suspended above her, her breath being knocked out of her.

 

“Fuck,” she panted as she ground her clit against Alicia's mouth, “fuck, fuck,” and her legs lost some of their strength so she had to hold herself up with her arms. Alicia's hands on her hips tightened, helping her. “I'm – fuck, Al, I'm gonna come –”

 

She came wordlessly, mouth open, body tight, pleasure blooming sharp in her cunt, in her gut; she tried to hold herself up, shuddering through the glorious aftershocks against Alicia's tongue. Suddenly weak, she fell to the side, only barely able to avoid thumping Alicia in the face with her knee.

 

“Sorry,” she breathed, half-laughed, “sorry, Al –”

 

Alicia grinned, wiping at her mouth. “'s all right.” She was flushed and beautiful, her hair an absolute mess. When she opened her arms and beckoned Katie, Katie immediately slid into them, pressing her slightly sticky body against Alicia's side.

 

“That – wasn't low-pressure, sorry,” she said, voice muffled against Alicia's breast.

 

“Did it sound like I minded?” Alicia said lazily, drawing circles on Katie's naked back with her fingers.

 

Katie squeezed her closer. “I love you, Al.”

 

“Love you too, Kat.” Alicia kissed the top of her head. “But now I need the loo.” She began untangling herself.

 

“Very romantic,” Katie said, and rolled back to free her.

 

“You know me,” Alicia said as she slipped out of bed. “Always the romantic.”

 

Katie was nearly asleep when Alicia came back; she let herself be pulled into Alicia's embrace again, felt the blanket being pulled over them, and was nearly instantly asleep.

 


End file.
